Protective effect of Nigella sativa oil against thioacetamide-induced liver injury in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) and compared with the N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant which is known to have liver protective effects, against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate the toxicity of a hepatotoxic agent, thioacetamide, compared the NSO and NAC liver preventive effects in experimental animal model. Wistar-albino rats were randomly allocated to five groups, each consisting of eight rats, and were subjected to different treatment regimens for 6 days. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein carbonyl (PC) levels decreased significantly by NSO treatment (P<0.05). Besides total bilirubin (T-Bil), cholesterol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities increased significantly by NSO treatment (P<0.05). NSO treatment did not produce a significant effect on myeloperoxidase (MPO), hydroxyproline (OH-P), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. These results indicated that NSO improved the liver cell damage caused by TAA, protected against oxidative tissue-damage, contributed to the oxygen radical scavenging activity, increased antioxidant activity and decreased lipid peroxidation. Thus, these results indicate that NSO has protective and antioxidant effects as in the treatment of NAC on the liver injury in rats.